PODCAST

Prof Johnathan Napier - Fish oils and seeds for healthy foods

Omega-3 fatty acids - obtained from fish oils - are vital for human health, but there is no sustainable production system in place for them. Fisheries are not run sustainably, and the marine environment is suffering from pollution which can accumulate in fish. Unfortunately, popular plant oils such as flax and linseed lack the bioactive omega-3 fatty acids that humans need. We need an alternative and sustainable source of these important compounds to tackle the health issues of the 21st century.Prof Johnathan Napier works at Rothamsted Research in Hertfordshire, a government-funded insitution and the oldest agricultural research station in the world. He and his group have been working to engineer transgenic plants to accumulate omega-3 fatty acids.